by Tamara Jefferies

Philadelphia Daily News, July 9, 1986
 

It's not easy to climb on a bike, whiz from a dispatch room on 10thStreet down to 2nd Street and then back up to an office near the Schuylkill.It's even harder to do it at top speed in relentless traffic. And in 100-degreeweather, it's all but impossible.

But it can be done. Just ask the trusty bikers who work for the messengerservices around town. They do it every day.

Even in the most sweltering weather, some manage to make 20 deliveriesa day without suffering from heat stroke. And a lot of them look prettysnazzy in the process.

Even in the middle of summer, the messengers at American Eagle Expressare required to wear long pants and shirts that have sleeves when theymake deliveries. "We fire you for wearing shorts," says Steve Parry, thefirm's assistant manager, who, in blue jeans and long hair looks like actorShaun Cassidy.

"We're pretty strict, because of complaints from customers," he explains.''We actually get calls from companies that almost want us to come in inthree-piece suits."

They don't require their messengers to be quite that formal (most justwear jeans and T-shirts), but bright colors are out. One firm complainedbecause a biker wore purple socks.

If you don't hear many complaints about the rules, it may be becausesome bikers have found a way to get around them.

"In the very worst weather, I do cheat," admits Don Klipstein who'sspent a year and a half at Eagle and says he thinks "the long pants thingstinks." He says he wears shorts en route but changes clothes before heenters his destination and before he gets close to the dispatch office,so as not to be caught.

The atmosphere at Kangaroo Couriers is not quite as strict. Courierstoss tennis balls across a room with walls covered by posters. A greenand orange Frankenstein movie poster and a reproduction of a painting ofa lighthouse hang together, a hint at the tolerant attitude of management.

Owner/operator Jack Wood explains he isn't one for restrictions. "It'spretty loose, but we try not to have anyone be obnoxious." he says.

Wood, dressed in an ultra-pink Hawaiian shirt with orchids and palmtrees in various shades of blue, green and brown over a pair of off-whitepants and suede Birkenstock sandals, says, "I OK shorts or cut-offs aslong as they're not too brief. We do require them to wear some kind ofshirt, like a T-shirt or something."

While Wood says he doesn't get many complaints about the way Kangaroocouriers are dressed, both courier companies have run into some interestingsituations involving the appearances of their employees.

Parry says he once hired a woman not knowing her arms were covered withtatoos. Rather than fire her, he asked her to wear long sleeves while shewas on the job. In the summer, when the heat became unbearable, she quit,and Eagle added to their list of fashion don'ts.

Wood has had to ask some of his messengers to cover parts of their anatomies,too. Anyone sporting a mohawk or some similar cut at Kangaroo has to weara hat when making a delivery.

"We had a guy with a hand cut into his hair," remembers Tony Millet,a former Kangaroo messenger, sitting at his sticker-studded dispatch desk.''One time he painted finger nails on it."

"He used to psych the customers out," sighed Jack. "He used to psychme out."

The Couriers from Kangaroo are a bit avant-garde, wearing everythingfrom black T-shirts emblazoned with skull and crossbones to camouflagepants and hunting boots. Hair is moussed, mussed or a head-covering mist.Most look as if they'd be at home on South Street or Greenwich Village.Allen Shinn, a round-spectacled guy in shorts and a black shirt, lookspretty conservative - until you get to his socks. They're striped, a laRaggedy Ann: one is gray and yellow, the other, gray and blue.

"I don't like to be symmetrical," he explains.

The very best clothing for high-speed biking is professional ridinggear, according to American Eagle Express' Drayton Murray.

"Riding shorts are thin and cushioned; not real thick, so you get air.And they're tight," he adds, smiling. "Aerodynamic."

But Eagle messengers can wear only the sleek racing tops, not the shorts,
because "a lot of lawyers don't like it," according to Murray.

Most messengers can't afford the body-hugging racing gear, which cancost more than $200 for a complete outfit of shorts, top, shoes and accessories.

"The only ones who can afford it are the ones who aren't working here,"says Lou Fornwald a matter-of-fact veteran who's been five years in thebusiness. "Ever see the movie 'Quicksilver'? That's fashion. This is real."

Many of the bikers do wear the professional bikers helmets, though,and most also wear padded racing gloves to prevent friction with handlebars and to protect them in case of falls.

Some wear professional biking shoes as well. "These are Avocet Touringshoes . . . model 30," Klipstein says, examining the worn black and greenpair he's wearing. Most of the other bikers wear leather tennis shoes.Eagle's Marc Cooper wears indoor soccer shoes. ("They're the only onesI have.")

But the big question is this: Is there any way to ride 10 blocks infive minutes and get off a bike not looking like you just got off a bike?

"You can't." Fornwald says, but he doesn't seem too concerned. "I'mnot lunching with clients, I'm making a delivery. I can't race throughtraffic in a suit."

Some services require their bikers to wear actual uniforms, but neitherAmerican Eagle Express nor Kangaroo think it's necessary. Yet.

Kangaroo does have a royal blue T-shirt with a sneaker-shod kangaroologo on the front, but not many of the bikers wear them while they're working.

"Most of them save them for more, uh, formal occasions," says Millet.

"Yeah," jokes Wood. "To get married."